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| USAAF 5th AF 312th BG 388th BS |
Pilot Captain Glenn H. Cathcart, Jr., O-423816 (KIA, BR) Fort Worth, TX Crashed January 15, 1944 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Curtiss in Buffalo, New York. Constructors Number 29671. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-40N Warhawk serial number 42-105909. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History During November 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force, 312th Bombardment Group (312th BG), 388th Bombardment Squadron (388th BS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On January 15, 1944 at 9:00am took off from Gusap Airfield pilot Captain Glenn H. Cathcart, Jr. (388th Squadron Operations Officer) leading "Red Flight" on a morning patrol with P-40N pilot Major William Kemble, P-40N pilot 2nd Lt. William B. Hollingsheand and P-40N pilot John W. Reisbig. Meanwhile, a formation of elven Ki-43 Oscars from 59th Hiko Sentai led by Captain Shigeo Nango patrolling over Ramu Valley spotted four P-40s and used cloud cover to maneuver to intercept and managed to attack catching them by surprise and caused their formation to disperse. During the dog fight, Nango fired on P-40N pilot John W. Reisbig damaging the plane and forcing him to dive away. Next, Nango fired on P-40N pilot 2nd Lt. William B. Hollingsheand who turned to the right and dove away but was able to radio Cathcart warning him of the fighters. During the dog fight, Cathcart attempted to turn to engage the attacking "Zeros" [sic Ki-43 Oscars] but was hit by gunfire from Nango's wingman and he was likely unconscious or dead before his plane crash roughly five miles northeast of Kaigulan near Dumpu. Cathcart became the first combat loss of the 388th Bombardment Squadron. On the ground, the crash was observed by the Australian Army, 6th Machine Gun Battalion at Gusap Airfield. Afterwards, the three damaged P-40s managed to land at Gusap Airfield with 2nd Lt. William B. Hollingsheand force landed. The surviving pilots believed they were attacked by only three planes. Recovery of Remains After the crash, a Piper cub landed nearby to recover the remains of the pilot. Postwar, his remains were transported to the United States for permanent burial. Memorials Cathcart was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is buried at Mount Olivert Cemetery in Fort Worth, TX. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Glenn H. Cathcart USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-40N-5-CU Warhawk 42-105909 to China [sic]" 389th Bombardment Squadron Form 34 (Weekly Status and Operations Report) January 1944 6 Machine Gun Battalion diary: "15/1/1944 Situation report 126. To 7 Division. P-40 No 2105902 (sic) crashed Dumpu 815435. Patrol located plane 1415 hours. Pilot killed. All informed. The crash site is roughly one mile SW of Namaput Village in the Ramu Valley. One of the Lieutenants of the 6MGB remembers the patrol and a USAAF Piper landing nearby, but getting a flat tyre. They stuffed the tyre with grass and flew the burnt remains of the pilot away." FindAGrave - Capt Glenn H Cathcart, Jr. (photo, grave photo) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-40 Kittyhawk 42-105909 Rampage of the Roarin' 20's (2009) pages 25 (photo), 46-48 (January 15, 1944), 49-50 (pilot photos), 346, (January 15, 1944), 360 (388th BS, P-40N Warhawk 42-105909 lists pilot as Reisbig), 403 (index Cathcart) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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